Last modified: 2003-05-17 by ivan sache
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Digne is a city of c. 8,000 inhabitants, located close to the German border. bitche is mostly known for its citadel.
Ivan Sache, 2 July 2002
On 19 July 1870, France declared war to Prussia. The Prussian
troops entered the French territory and attacked the citadel of
Bitche on 8 August. The defenders of the citadel, led by Commandant
Teyssier, repulsed the Prussians, who laid siege to the fortress.
The siege lasted until March 1871. Both the citadel and the city of
Bitche were repeatedly bombarded. On several instances, Prussian
emissaries required the surrender of the French troops. Teyssier
unshakeably answered he would leave the citadel only on the orders of
the French government.
On 9 March 1871, the Municipal Council of Bitche decided the making of a flag with the inscription:
la ville de Bitche à ses défenseurs 8 août 1870 - 12 mars 1871
(the city of Bitche to its defenders 8 August 1870 - 12 March 1871)
On 15 March, the flag was ceremoniously offered to the defenders
entrenched in their position.
On 25 March, the French troops left the city of Bitche, headed by the
flag and to the rapturous applause of the inhabitants, whereas the
Prussians formed a guard of honour. The next day, Teyssier handed in
the keys of the city to Colonel Kohlermann. By the treaty of
Francfort (10 May 1871), Bitche, which had been French since 1766,
was annexed to Germany with Alsace and Lorraine.
On 22 November 1918, the French troops seized Bitche. On 5 January 1919, Jean Teyssier brought back the flag which had been offered to his father. On 22 August 1919, President of the Republic Raymond Poincaré, who was Lorrain, visited Bitche and awarded the city the Légion d'Honneur for its heroic resistance during the 1870-1871 war.
The flag offered to Commandant Teyssier is exhibited in the citadel museum in Bitche.
Source: Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 2 July 2002